Lord Drayson: Bowman CIP is one of the networks that underpin the aim of achieving network-enabled capability in defence. Management arrangements take account of the need to integrate Bowman CIP with other networks and systems. We recently clarified and strengthened the higher level management arrangements for the Bowman CIP programme and we are currently reviewing how we could improve the governance arrangements for network enabled capability to ensure that programmes such as Bowman CIP deliver the maximum benefit.

Baroness Finlay of Llandaff: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What measures are being taken to ensure that military doctors who are returning from operational tours with the Armed Forces and therefore out of hospital medicine for several years will not be disadvantaged compared to National Health Service colleagues when applying for training posts under the medical training application service.

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: The need to use embryos is a key consideration during the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority's licensing process for embryo research. The regulatory framework requires the use of alternatives to embryos—for example, established embryonic stem cell lines—where suitable ones exist. Schedule 2 of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990 sets out the activities for which licences may be granted. Licences for the purposes of a project of research involving human embryos cannot authorise any activity unless it appears to the HFEA to be necessary or desirable for one or more of the purposes specified. The law also makes it clear that no licence shall be granted unless the authority is satisfied that any proposed use of embryos is necessary for the purposes of the particular research project.
	The Government recently published a White Paper, Review of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act, and will shortly be publishing a draft Bill for pre-legislative scrutiny. The revised legislation will continue to permit the creation and use of embryos for research within limits and subject to regulatory oversight. It will continue to be the responsibility of the regulator to consider licence applications within the parameters set out in legislation. The Act currently prohibits culturing embryos for more than 14 days in vitro, and the Government do not intend to change the 14-day limit.
	For research purposes only, the Government intend to remove the restriction on altering the genetic structure of a cell while it forms part of an embryo. This could aid understanding of genetic pathways involved in implantation and the mutations resulting in failure of implantation. For example, modifying a specific gene thought to affect the ability of an embryo to implant will allow scientists to learn about its function by looking at the effects onother genes in the early embryo. This approachcould identify potential targets for treatmentwithout the need to place the modified embryo in a woman.
	A HFEA appeals committee licensed application R0153 on 1 September 2005. Following consideration of the overall intentions of Parliament and of the definition of genetic structure, the appeals committee concluded that none of the activities proposed in the application were prohibited, that they were necessary or desirable for specified research purposes and that the use of embryos was necessary for the purpose of the proposed research project.

Lord Triesman: Paragraph 29 of European Court of Justice's (ECJ) Opinion 2/94 on 28 March 1996 is an explanatory disposition. Its aim is to clarify the scope of Article 308 of the Treaty on the European Community (then Article 235 TEC).
	In Opinion 2/94 the Court of Justice gave an interpretation of Article 235 (now Article 308) which is of general application. The ECJ has often been asked to rule on the use of Article 308 of the TEC. From the case law of the court, it is clear that Article 308 cannot be used by the community to widen its competencies beyond what is needed to attain the objectives mentioned in the EC treaty.
	As an example, paragraph 30 of the opinion makes clear that Article 308 "cannot serve as a basis for widening the scope of community powers beyond the general framework created by the provisions of the Treaty as a whole" and that it "cannot be used as a basis for the adoption of provision whose effect would, in substance, be to amend the Treaty without following the procedure which it provides for that purpose".

Lord Stoddart of Swindon: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What is their best estimate of the United Kingdom's net annual contributions to the European Union budget over the years 2007 to 2012 (a) if theUnited Kingdom's rebate is maintained, and (b) if it is not.

Lord Davies of Oldham: The United Kingdom makes its contributions to the EC budget as a whole and not to individual projects within it. Details of the UK's contributions to the EC budget over the period 2000 to 2005 may be found in table 3.2 of the European Community Finances White Paper (Cm 6770, page 17) published in May 2006. The United Kingdom's gross contribution in 2005 to 2006, after taking account of the abatement, was £8.1 billion. In addition, the United Kingdom makes contributions to the European development fund, details of which are as follows:-
	2001-02—£91,463,000
	2002-03—£132,545,000
	2003-04—£230,883,000
	2004-05—£253,655,000
	2005-06—£234,431,000

Lord Triesman: the Prime Minister spoke to the President-elect, Nicolas Sarkozy, on 6 May to congratulate him on his election victory and to emphasise the Government's desire to work closely with the future French Government on a number of bilateral, European and foreign policy issues.

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: Expenditure on sexual health campaigns, from 1986-87 to 1995-96, including HIV public education, contraception awareness and prevention of sexually transmitted infections is set out in the following table. It is not possible to separate out funding solely related to HIV awareness.
	
		
			  £ million 
			 1986-87 7.600 
			 1987-88 11.210 
			 1988-89 10.000 
			 1989-90 12.000 
			 1990-91 10.000 
			 1991-92 11.000 
			 1992-93 11.230 
			 1993-94 9.410 
			 1994-95 9.870 
			 1995-96 8.060 
		
	
	Since 1996-97 the department has funded separate HIV health promotion for gay men and African communities. Expenditure is set out on the following table.
	
		
			  £ million 
			 1996-97 0.820 
			 1997-98 1.375 
			 1998-99 1.400 
			 1999-2000 1.400 
			 2000-01 1.500 
			 2001-02 1.550 
			 2002-03 1.600 
			 2003-04 1.700 
			 2004-05 1.700 
			 2005-06 1.700 
			 2006-07 2.750 
			 2007-08 2.750 
		
	
	Notes: Both tables exclude local work funded by the National Health Service. Table two excludes HIV awareness raising and information resources for the general population produced by the former Health Education Authority (and Health Promotion England) and the Family Planning Association through sexually transmitted infections awareness campaigns.

Baroness Finlay of Llandaff: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they have any plans either (a) to seek a derogation from the European Union Physical Agents Directive for the use of medical magnetic resonance imaging; or (b) not to ratify the directive.

Lord McKenzie of Luton: The Government are acutely conscious of concerns about this directive and recognise that it is clearly unacceptable to have a situation where its requirements are in conflict with what are important medical procedures. They are therefore seeking a way forward that balances the needs of patients with protecting workers. The European Commission and other member states are also involved. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is working with them, as well as the medical community, to find an acceptable solution.
	The action being pursued includes HOUSE-funded research into the scale and nature of the impact of the directive on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The interim findings have already been made available to the European Commission; the final results, expected later in the year, will also be made so available. Added to this, the European Parliament has been informed of the impact of the directive on MRI; and UK Ministers and officials will continue to raise the matter in EU meetings and contacts, wherever possible.

Lord Drayson: I refer the noble Lord to the Written Ministerial Statement on 24 April 2007, (Official Report, cols. WS 21-22).

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: The Government are not aware of what research is being carried out at the University of Surrey and the University of Albany in this area. The committee on toxicity of chemicals in food, consumer products and the environment keeps under review research on dioxins and polychlorinated biphenyls, which have similar toxic properties, and will consider any significant developments in the area of human health.